James M. Slattery, a native of North Dakota, was born in 1907. He became interested in politics and sports at an early age-activities he continued to follow during his later life. Mr. Slattery worked as a teacher, miner, casino dealer, and rancher in North Dakota and Nevada, but his most consuming interest has been in Nevada politics. Elected to the Nevada State Assembly in 1950, and to the Nevada State Senate in 1954, he was a colorful and often controversial advocate of his political philosophy in the legislative forum for nearly two decades. The memoir includes a brief account of Slattery's early life in the midwest, a short teaching career, sketches of his work in northern Nevada mines, information about the Nevada legislature, and remarks about sports events like the camel and ostrich races in Virginia City, Nevada.